For a moment she struggled to understand who the primal throb of satisfaction came from, the man or the monster. She searched the threads of his memories, moving through with light agility. “That has never happened before in your history,” she breathed in shock. “Normally when the beast takes control, the thread of the barrier still exists even though the demon is in control. And when your people bond with their beasts, there is an alliance between man and demon, reliance on each other, a barrier away from the darkness when the host wishes it. But you are not that….”
Acting on instincts, she rolled on top of him, her knees pressing down on each side of his waist and peered down at him. His eyes now held a swirl of gold, blue, purple, green and black, still held the cast of the serpent, and his face while impossibly beautiful and sensual, held a cruel edge. “Your beast has manifested in you in a manner never seen before. That is why your friends were so apprehensive.”
Her fingers stroked his hair and began to make small circles over his temples. “Let me try and help you build back that thread. I am an imperial telepath. Maybe there is a way to reverse what I did.”
“I am what I am.”
A calm, brutal acceptance Shilah would never comprehend. She couldn’t find air to drag into her lungs for precious seconds. “If what I am reading from your memories Lachlan Ravenswood is correct, in Darkans who are bonded, they have absolute control over their psychic wall and let the demon out and cage it at their will. You do not have that. I took that from you,” she said fiercely, tears pricking from behind her eyes. “What peace will you ever have but to be eternally damned?”
“I have you, my mate.” My soul. My sanity. My everything.
Her breath hitched in her throat as her mind caught the center of his thoughts. Another rough sound escaped. “Your soul, Lachlan Ravenswood?”
“My soul has been branded as unredeemable at my birth, but you are my light, my mate.”
And at that moment Shilah knew, once he touched her, claimed her, made her part of him, she would be irrevocably lost. She started to tremble. “I must return to my realm, I cannot stay in the land of shadows and darkness.” But how he made her crave to abandon the solitary life she would confine herself to once she returned to her world. But I’ll save thousands of lives, she fiercely reminded herself.
“I agree.”
“I did not expect you to so readily agree to me leaving the Darkage.”
“The empire will not take lightly to losing you. Even without your Imperial powers, Serangites are coveted. There are traitors within our walls, working with the kingmaker who has aligned himself with Emperor Khan. They can strike at you anytime. It is best you return to Serange as soon as possible. I will come with you, my mate. And you will have your army to take back your crown.”
“And what of King Gidon and the ones who wish to take his head?”
“I will return to the Darkage when he has need of me.”
She smiled, relief lifting her heart. With him by her side, Prince Quan would have no choice but to abdicate. “And I would like you by my side Lachlan Ravenswood, thank you.”
She desperately wanted to lean in and take his mouth with her but held back out of uncertainty. The deep attraction confused her. Her reason for being in Amagarie had nothing to do with taking a lover, only the freedom of her people. Yet there was an undeniable hunger in her body for this man, and she would deny it no longer. “Kiss me, Lachlan Ravenswood.”
The ground beneath them roiled, and something unknown trembled on the air.
“No!” The force of her sister’s scream roared through her mind and had Shilah scrambling from off him, lurching to her feet.
“A decision has been made.”
Fear seized her throat as her sister’s voice hissed with terrifying promise as she foresaw the future.
“Queen of darkness you shall become. I see upon your head a crown of snakes and thorns. Your mercy and love will be our kingdom’s downfall.”
Shilah gasped. “Mercy and love for Lachlan?” she demanded.
Kala continued without pause, “At Lachlan Ravenswood’s feet, blood will flow, and bodies will drop from the castle in the sky as he slaughters. If you pledge your love to him, our people will know true suffering, and it will be endless.”
There was a choked cry and then she said, “Please Shilah, run!”
15
Shilah ran away from him, sprinting down the hilly slope, uncaring of where she dashed, the flowing length of the sari twisting around her legs. Her side ached, and she did not stop until she stumbled. A lake stood in front of her, the hovering darkness overwhelming, the aura of the creatures in the depths of the water creating a bright shimmering surface atop the lake. Trees hung over the swollen banks of the lake, the purple aura of their gnarled roots covering the ground in snake-like patterns. The great torches in the distance were a small beacon, but she pulsed forth her kinetic energy, creating a silver-white glow around her. She tasted such awful fear in her mouth. “Kala, what does it mean?”
“Lachlan Ravenswood must never be allowed into Serange.”
“He has promised to help me, providing the army we need to root Prince Quan from our kingdom.”
“Another way must be found, Shilah!”
“You said my mercy and love will be our kingdom’s downfall, do you speak of the feelings growing in my heart for him?”